Date: Fri, 14 Apr 1995 15:13:49 EST From: Stephan Forseth Dear Friend, On April 5, 1995, the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners voted 4-3 to hold a public hearing on May 3, at 1:30 p.m. to repeal the sexual orientation amendment of the County's Human Rights Ordinance. The issue has polarized the Tampa Bay, Florida community. Even though polls suggest that voters support the amendment, there is a very real danger that the Commissioners will vote for its repeal. We are therefore asking for your help in this battle for our civil rights. We urge you to act immediately by calling, writing, or faxing the members of the Board of County Commissioners. Under the leadership of David Caton, the radical-right has mobilized and is bombarding the Commissioners with letters and phone calls urging them to repeal the amendment. These calls are being generated by a small group that is highly organized. We cannot let them undermine our civil rights--we must make our voices heard! Next year, the Tampa Bay Gay Men's Chorus and Cresendo: The Tampa Bay Womyn's Chorus, will host the largest gathering of lesbians and gay men since the 1994 Gay Games in New York City. GALA Choruses' Festival V will bring 5,000 singers and 25,000 non-singers from all over the world to our community for a week-long series of concerts, ceremonies and social events including a Pride parade, and Opening Ceremony at the Convention Center, 182 concerts at the Performing Arts Center, and a gay lesbian night at Busch Gardens. The Tampa/Hillsborough Convention & Visitors Association reports that GALA is the largest convention ever booked in the City of Tampa. We have been working since 1991 to bring this Festival to Tampa and we are deeply concerned about the Commissioners' recent decision to re-open this debate. We urge you to take action immediately. Please call the Commissioners and let them know that the outcome of the vote will affect your decision to spend money in Hillsborough County. The names, addresses and phone numbers of each Commissioner are listed at the bottom of this letter. Please thank Commissioners Turanchik, Wilson and Busansky who argued passionately and voted to keep the ordinance intact. Opposing the ordinance, Commissioners Hart, Chillura, Norman, and Berger voted in favor of the public meeting and--in all likelihood--will vote to repeal the amendment. That's 4 to 3 against us unless you act today! Please pick up your phone and call today. Write letters and send faxes. We must show the County Commissioners just how many people support this ordinance. Many non-gay community, civic and government leaders are on our side. Please lend your voice to theirs. Urge your family, friends and neighbors to speak out as well. And if you are a member of a civic group, please make copies of this letter and help us spread the word as quickly as possible. As members of TBGMC and Crescendo, we have raised our voices in support of the ordinance. Repealing the sexual orientation amendment will send an extremely negative message to the thousands of visitors now planning to attend the Festival. We want Festival delegates to come to a community where they feel welcomed. And we want you to share the joy of hearing a 5,000 voice chorus during the Festival's Opening Ceremonies in July of 1996. Please help us by taking action today. Sincerely, The GALA Festival V Local Organizing Committee 1222 South Dale Mabry, Suite 602 Tampa, Florida 33629-5009 Tel: (813) 837-4485 Fax: (813) 837-0810 __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA Board of County Commissioners Physical Address: Main Telephone: Mailing Address: 601 East Kennedy Blvd. (813) 272-5660 P.O. Box 1110 County Center, 2nd Floor Tampa, FL 33601 Tampa, Florida 33602 ________________________________________ | DISTRICT 1 :) | DISTRICT 2 :( | | Ed Turanchik | Jim Norman,CHAIRMAN | | Tel 813-272-5470 | Tel 813-272-5452 | | Fax 813-272-7046 | Fax 813-272-7047 | _____________|__________________|_____________________|_____ |DISTRICT 3 :) | DISTRICT 4 :( | DISTRICT 5 :( | |Sandra Helen Wilson | Dottie Berger | Chris Hart | |Tel 813-272-5720 | Tel 813-272-5740 | Tel 813-272-5725 | |Fax 813-272-7048 | Fax 813-272-7049 | Fax 813-272-7052 | |_____________________|__________________|___________________| | DISTRICT 6 :) | DISTRICT 7 :( | | Phyllis Busansky, | Joe Chillura | | Vice Chairman | Tel 813-272-5735 | | Tel 813-272-5730 | Fax 813-272-7054 | | Fax 813-272-7053 | | |___________________|__________________| Aide to the Chairman, Charlotte Emrick, Tel 813-272-6461, Fax 813-273-3732 :) denotes voted to keep ordinance intact :( denotes opposes the ordinance __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ GALA Festival V Local Organizing Committee Lisa Fisher, Sunny Hall, Joey Miller, Mark Puig, and Ken Williams